Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will address a conference of army commanders here on April 2, during which the senior military leadership will also assess the overall security situation, the defence ministry said in a statement on Wednesday. The Army Commanders’ Conference, the first for the year 2024 will be organised in a hybrid mode. The conference will be held in virtual mode on March 28 and thereafter in physical mode from April 1-2, the statement said.

The conference, with its wide scope, ensures the Indian Army remains progressive, forward-looking, adaptive and future-ready, it said.

It serves as a “pivotal forum for apex leadership of the Indian Army to brainstorm conceptual issues, review and assess the overall security situation”. It will lay down key priorities facilitating important policy decisions, to chart the course for future direction, officials said.

On March 28, the conference will be chaired by Army Chief Gen Manoj Pande with army commanders participating in a virtual mode from their respective Command Headquarters, it said.

The deliberation will be on a critical agenda impacting the field army and veterans’ welfare.

The conference will also feature talks by distinguished subject matter experts on the evolving geopolitical landscape and ramifications for national security, the officials said. On April 1, the Army’s top leadership will engage in intensive brainstorming sessions. The sessions will be aimed at enhancing operational effectiveness, the importance of fostering a culture of innovation and adaptability and investing in training and development programmes to ensure readiness for future challenges. The brainstorming session will also encompass issues concerning the welfare of service personnel aimed at enhancing the quality of life for soldiers and their families, they said.

This will be followed by a meeting of the Investment Advisory Committee of the Army Group Insurance, chaired by the Army chief, and attended by several experts in the field of financial management.

The committee will deliberate on various welfare measures and schemes for the financial security of serving soldiers, veterans and their families, they added.

The senior hierarchy of the Army will also be addressed by Chief of Defence Staff, General Anil Chauhan, Navy Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar and IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal V R Chaudhari, the statement said.

On April 2, the defence minister will deliver a keynote address at the conference. He will also interact with senior military leadership during the conference.

The event will also be attended by the defence secretary and other senior officials from the Ministry of Defence.